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Northern Longbeard Dwarves
Overview The Northern Longbeards are a subfaction of Durin's Folk that live Northeast of Ered Luin in Forochel and parts of Western Forodwaith. They came from Khazad Dum and Northern Ered Luin to reclaim the ancient halls and mines of their ancestors originally dug out in the late years of the Second Age. About By nature they are a folk of skilled craftsmen, miners, architects, engineers, and stonesmiths as with all of Durin's decendants. But they are best known for their warriors. They clad themselves in heavy plates and scale coats made of special cold forged steel when going to battle but also make room for thick fur jackets and undergarb beneath their armor to keep themselves warm. They primarily make use of warhammers and battle-axes in melee combat and are known for their prowess as spear throwers at range and for the famed Dragon Guard. What truly sets them apart though is their ferocity in battle. They are some of the fiercest warriors and most cunning tacticians in all of the dwarven lands, owing this status to their constant training, unceasing bravery, and never ending skirmishes with the spawn of Gundabad, Utumno, and Angmar. They carry such hatred for Orc-kind into battle with them that they scarcely leave survivors when the dust settles on the field. If ever asked why they hate the Orcs so much they will often say, "Amhul nê azur'e. Izri Thrain! Izri Arvedui!" or "Do not ask me. Ask Thrain! Ask Arvedui!" This is in reference to their ancestor Thrain I and the fall of Khazad Dum, as well as the fall of Arnor and their last king, Arvedui, who was a close friend to their ancestors in the region. Physical Traits The Northern Longbeards have a few distinct traits that set them apart from their brethren in the other dwarven lands. They are known to have heightened resistance to extreme cold and heat due to the icy environment they live in and the deep lava lakes they dig out and use as a source of heat in their halls. They have dark brown hair with occasional reddish hue and commonly have grey-blue eyes. The men have thicker-than-usual beards and body hair which is likely due to their work outside of the halls in the icy winds. Women however have the least thick beards when compared to most of the other dwarven holds. This is likely due to women seldom leaving the halls for anything but battle to fight alongside the men. They work primarily as miners, smiths, tailors, caretakers, and cooks, thus remaining very warm in the lava-heated halls of Northern Longbeard strongholds. It is common for both men and women to have facial tattooing and piercings in their ears and eyebrows. They use this to show heritage and status within their hold. This practice began when the first dwarves to make the journey to the ancient halls arrived with black markings on their face from frostbite and campfire soot which they then tattooed to permenantly remember their triumph over the frozen wastes. Laws of the Kingdom of Balbunzudnu (Forochel) UWhat follows is a record of all laws and standards of the Kingdom of Balbûnzudnu set forth on the tenth of January, year 2992, T.A. These laws are in addition to those set forth by the Valar and are secondary to them. I. One must abide by the laws of the kingdom and the decrees of the King are law and as such must be followed or punishment up to and including banishment and exile from the kingdom may be levied as the King sees fit. II. One must respect other dwarves in any of the Dwarven kingdoms and shall not bicker or fight with brethren for any reason unless verily warranted and deemed a just grievance by the King. This grievance must then be brought forth in council with the King and resolved. III. One must not commit murder against his Dwarven brethren unless the Dwarf be labeled a traitor or enemy of the state. This is viewed as treason and is punishable by death and exile from the kingdom. IV. As a dwarf of the greater Kingdom of the Dwarves all decrees given by the High King of the Dwarves are to be carried out as law and followed as such. V. Any dwarf of the varied kingdoms is considered a brother and is to be given aid, if one has the ability to give aid, in time of need regardless of circumstances or danger. VI. For the good of the kingdom and to promote productivity of the citizens therein, a bimonthly tax is to be levied upon citizens of the kingdom. The current tax is as follows: A. 1 Stack of Fish (Raw) or 1/2 Stack of Fish (Cooked) B. 16 Silver Ingots or 1/2 Stack of Dwarven Steel C. If you wish to have access to the Armories then you will need to pay an extra 32 Dwarven Steel per month. Payments will be placed into the King's mailbox at Zigilgund on the 1st and 15th of every month. Lords will be required to pay 150% of both A and B, but C will not be required at all as they will be given free use of the Armories in Zigilgund. If a Lord has over 6 citizens in his hold then he will be required to pay a 200% rate instead of the standard 150%. Taxes will only be levied if a player was active for at least 50% of the taxation period in question. If a player fails to pay his taxes for a period a player may be required to pay back taxes if the King deems his situation unworthy of exemption. VII. No Lord or citizen may levy taxes upon his hold beyond paid use of facilities under their control. The King's tax is to be the only regularly levied tax in the Kingdom. VIII. No dwarf is to steal from any other Dwarf, Man, Orc, or Elf in all of Middle Earth. If caught stealing from anyone outside the kingdom, including other Dwarves, the punishment will be levied by the Valar. If the theft takes place within the Kingdom then it will be attempted to be resolved without involving the Valar. Items will be returned and a fine of 200% of the stolen items' value will be paid to the victim and the thief will be demoted and force to mine coal for the following weeks until it is deemed he has paid for his crimes. IX. No dwarf shall build within 1000 block of a lore build without the express permission of the King and such builds will require heavy oversight to ensure they are up to the King's building standards and follow the aesthetic theme of the Kingdom. X. If a dwarf wishes to have his build recognized and submitted for promotion to Thane, he or she must follow the aesthetic theme and building standards of the Kingdom. If the build is deemed worthy it will be given recognition and the owner will be made a Thane and allowed to recruit dwarves for his hold. XI. In order to be promoted to the position of Lord within the kingdom and be given the leadership of one of the 5 holds as well as a seat in the King's Council, one must be a Thane of a Hold within the Kingdom or one of the other Dwarven Kingdoms. They also must have 500 Durin's Folk alignment and undergo the Trial of Frost before they move on the the recruiting phase. Once they are in the recruitment phase of ascending to the position of Lord they must gather and recruit 3 new dwarves, either for their hold or for the Kingdom's Capital, Zigilgund. Then they will be granted one of the 5 holds or be named Thane and Heir to the Lore build of a hold so long as a position is available for them. XII. Only the King, Lords (Including Recruitment Phase), and Thanes may recruit for their holds. Lesser Dwarven citizens may aid in recruiting but must send the recruit to their Lord or Thane after the initial recruitment. XIII. When in any build within the kingdom, including your own, always close all gates and doors you find open or open yourself. This is to prevent any players unauthorized from accessing our halls and mines and promote safety within our own builds. XIV. The Laws are subject to change and alteration at any time without notice until after the changes have been made. The king will send out an updated book of laws when this occurs and it is every dwarf's duty to stay up to date with this and as such are accountable for any infractions they commit even if they were unaware that their actions were unlawful. That said, no retroactive punishments will be levied if a new law was broken prior to its inclusion in the books unless they were especially grievous infractions or were the cause for the law's inclusion. Economy The Northern Longbeards are known to regularly export fish, ice, salt, and other materials mined from the earth. However, they are best known for their incredibly dense and very hard steel, made through a special process they call cold-forging, and for their brewery's special honey-wine, "Dragon's Breath Mead," which is made using water melted from glacial ice, honey sugar, and a special spice called "dragon's fire" that they keep hidden with great zeal. Their Steel is known to be able to slice through even the best Orc steel plate armor as if cutting through parchement and known to blunt even the sharpest weapons when used for armor. This makes it one of their most valuable exports in trade. Their famed brewery, The Great Drake Meadery, is home to their second most valuable export, Dragon's Breath Mead. This mead is invaluable to both those who are needing to fight off the cold or get drunk at a party. It is a beverage brewed to high alcoholicity so that it doesn't freeze in the frozen wastes it is home to and carries a spice that the dwarves who brew it call "dragon's fire" that seems to warm the body from head to toe With only a sip. The mead's secret spice warms the body while the taste buds dance merrily with the sweet flavors of honey sugar farmed from bees kept in an underground hive. This combination makes Dragon's Breath Mead one very tasty beverage from start to finish not to mention its vital uses when one is fighting icy winds. Trade They regularly trade metals, gems, stone, and brewed drinks with the Blue Dwarves for sarlluin and other precious goods. They also have a close trade relationship with the Lossoth. With whom they trade salt, coal, brewed drinks, and iron in return for fish, red meat, furs, and woodand. They also maintain a close relationship with the dwarves of Khazad Dum via their embassy near Bundushathur. Lending stone, tools, materials, and even miners and builders to King Fundin and his lesser lords whenever needed. Military The Northern Longbeard Dwarves are known to be home to some of the fiercest footsoldiers in all of the Dwarven Kingdoms. They have 5 distinct types of military units: Legionaires- Elite close-combat warriors. Legionaires are the standard foot soldier of the Northern Longbeard Military. They usually are young dwarves eager to prove themselves in battle. Even so they are fierce warriors in their own right having extensive training under their belts. Spearmasters- Hybrid units wielding shields and double tipped spears that act as ranged spearthrowers and front line warriors. These soldiers are the most versatile front lines unit in the Northern Longbeard armies. They can act as a standard spear and shield wall when marching, a medium range anti-cavalry unit, or as a makeshift fortification unit by planting their spears at an angle allowing no quick paced assaults or mounted units within a perimeter. Siegemasters- Tactical engineers equipped with long-handled pikes, explosives, and a pickaxe. They are dedicated to defensive measures in case of a siege, designing and building traps and fortifications. They are the architects of defensive structures and carry out the demolition of structures as needed in following the King's battle plans. Sharpshooters- Highly trained crossbowmen used for defense during sieges and as long-range units in assault operations. They are often found in the towers and ramparts of Northern Longbeard fortresses during siege sending a constant and accurate hailstorm of arrows into the enemy ranks from above. They also act as the standard ranged unit in open field, offensive operations. The Frostbound- These elite soldiers are highly trained in all tactics and forms of warfare. They are completely encased in thick steel plate armor and special fire resistant fur and leather undergarb. Their name and fame comes from their unique hardened ice armor and their brutal selection test, the Trial of Frostbinding. The Trial involves submerging themselves in the waters of the bay of Forochel and making the trek back to Zigilgund without food or proper clothing. It is a test of will and endurance in the most extreme conditions that the weak do not often see the end of. Those who survive this trial may become one of the Frostbound. They also are known for their ferocity in battle and their armor which is unique in that it incorporates special hardened ice plates that provide extra protection in key areas as well as spikes of the same material for offensive use in close quarters. Organization (This page is a work-in-progress.)